Atlantic Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Inc. Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Delaware’

How Much Electricity Does It Take to Run My AC?

Monday, May 24th, 2021
air-conditioner

A question homeowners often have about their central air conditioning systems is: “How much does it cost me to run my AC during the summer?” It’s a good question: people are curious about what they can expect to pay through the season, as well as how they may lower those costs.

There’s a problem with providing an answer, however, and that’s because too many factors are involved to allow us to provide any sort of answer in cold, hard dollars and cents. For one thing, the cost of electricity changes, and a house in Delaware may pay a different amount for similar AC usage compared to a house in Maryland. There are also different types of ACs with different efficiencies, and some homes are more difficult to cool than others because they have less insulation, more people in them, etc. 

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What Is an Air Handler and Is It Important for My Furnace?

Monday, March 1st, 2021
hands-opening-cabinet

It’s easy for people like us who work in HVAC and are immersed in it every day to forget that most homeowners aren’t familiar with the terms of heating and air conditioning systems in the same way we are. 

One example is the air handler. It can trigger confusion for people who hear “air,” then immediately guess the air handler means the air conditioning system. An air handler is important for an AC, but it does more. We often have to make repairs to air handlers to help with customers’ heating in Delaware. If you have a central furnace heating your house, whether electric or natural gas-powered, an air handler may be a part of how the furnace works.

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Should You Invest in Geothermal Comfort This Fall?

Monday, October 12th, 2020
geothermal-loop-system

When summer ends, people start to think about their home comfort systems—and not just heater. Yes, fall is the time to schedule heating maintenance to ensure the heater is ready to handle the coming winter temperatures. But fall is also a time to consider making changes to the air conditioning system if it’s coming to the end of its service life.

Last week we offered a recommendation for an HVAC system upgrade that handles your heating and cooling needs: a heat pump installation. This isn’t the only way you can make a double-upgrade for your heating and air conditioning in Delaware, however. This may be the fall that you finally decide to make your dreams of a geothermal heating and cooling system come true.

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Should You Replace an Old AC With a Heat Pump?

Monday, September 28th, 2020
trane-condenser-backyard

You’ve come to the end of regular air conditioning maintenance and AC repair in Delaware for your home comfort system. The air conditioner is at the close of its service life and it’s time to schedule a replacement. All ACs eventually get there—the important part is deciding what to replace yours with.

“Well, that’s easy,” you say. “Another central air conditioner!”

Of course, that is one option, and it may be the best option. But it isn’t the only one. You might want to consider a heat pump.

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More Ductless Advantages: You Can Use Them If You Have Ducts Already

Monday, August 31st, 2020
ductless-unit

Among the different services for air conditioning installation in Delaware we offer our clients is installation of ductless mini split heat pumps, which provide both cooling and heating without the need to either put in ducts or use up window space. Ductless mini splits are fantastic ways for older homes to enjoy great heating and cooling while not having to make major alterations to find ways to stick in ductwork. They also work as excellent alternatives for new home construction—you can forget about squeezing ductwork into the blueprints.

However, you’re reading this and thinking, “I live in a house with built-in ducts. Is there any point in having a ductless system installed? What’s the benefit?”

It’s true that if you have a central ducted AC and heater in your house that you are better off staying with this type when you have a replacement. But this doesn’t entirely discount ductless systems. There are uses for ductless mini split heat pumps in homes with ducts. Below are a few of them.

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Signs Your AC Has Trouble With Its Compressor

Monday, July 20th, 2020
compressor-in-outdoor-unit

The compressor is about as an important a component as there is in an air conditioner. All parts of an AC are important, but the compressor is what allows an air conditioner to cool. If your air conditioner’s compressor fails, the central cooling system will just turn into a big fan that circulates room-temperature air around the house.

Something else that makes the compressor vital is that it’s an expensive part to replace if it fails. In many cases, it’s more cost-effective to have the full air conditioning system replaced in case of a compressor failure rather than replace the compressor.

The best way to keep your AC’s compressor in good shape is to have the system regularly maintained. If you’re keeping up with regular maintenance, it’s still a smart idea to watch for any warning signs the compressor is having problems. That way you can schedule AC repair in Delaware in time to stop the compressor from burning out.

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Understanding When You Have an AC Emergency

Monday, May 11th, 2020
woman-in-front-of-fan-hand-on-head

As the weather is getting warmer as we get nearer to summer, air conditioners are going to get to work—and some of them will start to not work. We offer 24/7 repair service for our customers when they have an emergency situation with their air conditioning systems. We know how vital a cooling system is for the comfort and safety of your family.

But people sometimes have questions about what constitutes a need for an emergency call. An air conditioner that won’t turn on at all certainly seems like an emergency. But maybe there is a simple explanation? Sometimes there is, and we want to help you understand better when you have an actual AC emergency on your hands and how to tell when there’s a simple troubleshooting step that will take care of the problem.

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March Is an Ideal Time for Pre-Season HVAC Maintenance

Monday, March 2nd, 2020
air-conditioning-maintenance

The weather conditions during March can go through extreme shifts, but it certainly isn’t a time when we can expect to start receiving steady warmer temperatures. But is the month when spring officially starts, and that means it’s also the first month when you should give serious consideration to your household HVAC in Delaware. The air conditioner in your HVAC system must have its regular pre-summer maintenance inspection and tune-up during spring, and arranging for the work in March is a great idea. Our technicians have more open schedule and can easily find a convenient appointment time.

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A Boiler That Won’t Do the Job? Some Reasons for Bad Boiler Behavior

Monday, February 3rd, 2020
condensing-gas-boiler

Boilers are still around and heating homes because they offer even and effective heating that often outdoes forced-air systems like furnaces and heat pumps. The even distribution of heat is one the advantages of having a boiler in the first place.

But if you have a boiler that isn’t giving you the even heating spread you expect from it, or simply isn’t meeting the target for warmth you need to stay comfortable, you may need to call for heating repair in Delaware to get it fixed. Our HVAC technicians are experts at handling boilers, which isn’t a skill you’ll find at every heating contractor in the area. Whatever issue you’re having with your household boiler, trust that we’ll find the source of the problem and have it fixed.

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It’s Time for a Planned Inspection of Your Home’s Heater

Monday, October 14th, 2019

October is the best time of the year to plan for a maintenance inspection and tune-up for the heater in your home, no matter if you use a furnace, a boiler, a heat pump, or a ductless mini split system. These annual inspections are essential for a heater to work in top shape, avoid unnecessary repair work, and stay within manufacturer’s safety limits. It’s not something you can skip a year here or there.

Fortunately, arranging for this service is straightforward: call a professional Delaware HVAC contractor who offers a maintenance program. Signing up for one of these programs not only provides you with heating maintenance each year, it usually includes air conditioning maintenance in the spring and a raft of other benefits.

We offer a complete HVAC maintenance program for our customers. If you aren’t signed up, give us a call today so we can get you on the schedule as soon as possible to inspect and care for your heater before the winter weather arrives.

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